For the first time ever Michigan is a low-prosperity state with a strong domestic auto industry. The recovery from the Great Recession has produced lots of jobs. Which is good news indeed. But in terms of the economic well-being of…
In a previous post we quoted Republican United States Senator Marco Rubio on the need for an American economy that provides more middle class jobs. In an article for the Atlantic Rubio entitled America Needs to Restore Dignity of Work,…
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans' column for The PuLSE Institute entitled Michigan needs long-term poverty policy is worth reading. Both in its call for making attacking poverty a priority and for taking on the conventional wisdom about the causes of…
Despite warning signs at the end of the year, 2018 was a very good year for the Michigan and the nation’s economy. But the strong economy––characterized by low unemployment and strong growth––was accompanied by 40 percent of Michigan households not…
Really interesting research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on low-wage workers moving up to better-paying jobs. (You can find the research here and a summary article on the research here.) The report's core findings: Using data covering…
The Atlantic recently explored what the American economy might look like with full employment. Using today's metro Des Moines as the example. It's a region with very low unemployment and a high employment to population ratio. What is happening in…
Most, if not all, major metropolitan areas have business organizations that promote the economic well being of their regions. But the Itasca Project serving Minnesota’s Twin Cities is different from just about any such organization in the country. This group…
The Michigan Association of United Way's ALICE report is the best calculation of the proportion of Michigan households that cannot afford basic necessities. That 40 percent of Michigan households––in a strong economy––can't pay for basic necessities should be sending off…
The preeminent challenge of our times is figuring out how to reverse what is being called the Great Decoupling. Where even when the economy is growing––as it has been in Michigan since the end of the Great Recession––only those at…
In our 2018 state policy agenda, we write that the state needs a strong social safety net in order to promote opportunity for Michigan families. Last week, Michigan’s Senate Republicans took a step towards cutting another large hole in that…